As WP's senior editor, I edit review and preview articles, attempt to keep up with the frantic pace of Rainier's news posts, and keep our reviewers on deadline, which is akin to herding cats. When I have a moment to myself and don't have my nose in a book, I like to play action/RPG, adventure and platforming games.

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9. 'Dark Souls II' (PS3/X360/PC)

Dark Souls II continues a legacy of goading its passionate fan base with unrelenting challenge and suffering that are considered a hallmark of the series; while presenting new devilishly devised obstacles for players to overcome.

Mark Buckingham: Most players have a love/hate relationship with Demon's Souls/Dark Souls, but they don't "hate" in the sense that they stop playing. The brutal difficulty has always been well balanced with the reward for tenacity in players. I expect more good/bad things to come from DSII, in line with what the series has brought us in the past. You hate yourself for playing, but you love overcoming the game's completely unfair difficulty spikes.

Reggie Carolipio: Even after Anor Londo, I'll be diving back into Dark Souls II because I want to see how From Software will taunt players. The series' grimdark challenge has always drawn me in, and figuring out the Rube Goldberg-like combo of moves, traps, tactics, and defenses to survive has kept me going. Don't forget to add in the shifting presence of odd characters, moody atmosphere, and the sheer paranoia of being invaded by someone else or falling for a false message that promises treasure if you jump off a ledge "right here."

Dustin Chadwell: If there's one reason to still have an Xbox 360 or PS3 connected, Dark Souls II is definitely it. I've only played a sampling through the limited, late-night online stress tests that Namco Bandai has performed, but that was enough to get me hooked on the Souls gameplay formula again. As punishing as it is fun, Dark Souls II should be everything you've come to love about the series, cranked up to 11.

Chris DeAngelus: The Souls franchise is dark, gloomy, and punishingly difficult. Yet as everyone who has played it knows, it's never unfair in its difficulty. Dark Souls II looks to be more of the same in all the best ways, with new enemies, new weapons, new spells, and new challenges around every corner. It's time to die ... again.